In image forming apparatuses employing an electrophotographic system, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, a multifunctional machine combining these devices, etc., a unit system including a developing unit and a photoconductor unit, such as a process cartridge, etc., is sometimes installed integrally therein. In such an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge needs to be periodically replaced when toner is completely consumed and a toner bottle becomes empty or a photoconductor unit or the like undergoes localized deterioration. Further, the image forming apparatus sometimes employs an LED as an exposure device. In this type of image forming apparatus, the process cartridge is replaced by opening an upper cover provided in an upper section of a main body of the image forming apparatus. The LED is disposed on a path along which the process cartridge would be removed from the image forming apparatus. For this reason, the LED conventionally needs to be displaced from its installed position at the same time or after the upper cover is opened, and the process cartridge is thereafter detached. Alternatively, there exists a system in which an LED serving as an exposure device is detached from a process cartridge by sliding it in its lengthwise direction as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-255805 (JP-2003-255805-A).
Furthermore, it is generally known that when a charging roller used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is dirtied by toner and paper dust or the like, image quality suffers. For this reason, a cleaner generally made of foam material, such as foam polyurethane, foam polyester, etc., or a sheet-like member made of felt is conventionally provided to typically engage and clean the charging roller (i.e., a charger). However, when the same cleaner is continuously used for a long time period, cleaning performance thereof deteriorates. Then, a charging roller cleaner is attached to a process cartridge including a photoconductor while the charging roller is attached to a main body of the image forming apparatus, so that the charging roller cleaner can be replaced with a fresh charging roller cleaner every time the process cartridge is replaced, as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H3-126961 (JP-H3-126961-A).
Furthermore, a system in which an LED is displaced and a process cartridge is then extracted from a main body needs a prescribed amount of space along the path along which the process cartridge is extracted, and this prescribed amount of space is not effectively utilized, raising a problem. Further, since the LED is exposed to an outside of the main body every time the process cartridge is replaced, the LED is possibly dirtied or damaged.
Yet further, in a system in which an LED is detachably attached to a process cartridge by sliding the LED in its lengthwise direction as described in JP-2003-255805-A, a side cover attached to the main body needs to be opened to move the LED in its lengthwise direction and detach thereof, or a prescribed amount of interior space is needed for the sliding movement of the LED in its lengthwise direction in the main body. However, when attaching and detaching the LED from the side surface of the main body, a user needs to operate both upper and side surfaces thereof, thereby increasing a working space required for the replacement of the LED, degrading operability. Further, when the space for moving the LED is provided inside the main body, the interior space is not effectively utilized, resulting in effect in upsizing of the main body. Yet further, since the user attaches and detaches the LED taking a certain time period in replacing a process cartridge, the risk of damaging the surface of the LED remains.
Further, in a system in which a charging roller cleaner is provided in a process cartridge as disclosed in JP-H3-126961-A, since the charging roller cleaner is simultaneously replaced with a photoconductor unit, a cycle of replacing the charging roller cleaner becomes longer in proportion to a demand for long life of a photoconductor, thereby degrading its cleaning ability. To solve such a problem, it is possible to attach the charging roller cleaner to either a toner cartridge or a developing unit, which is more frequently replaced, to be replaced independently of the photoconductor unit. However, in a conventional process cartridge or exposure device, a cleaner, a toner cartridge, and a developing unit intercept a light exposing path for guiding exposure light from the exposure device to the photoconductor. Consequently, it is practically impossible for the charging roller cleaner to be attached to either the toner cartridge or the developing unit.
Further, it is known that a problem occurs in an image forming apparatus that employs an electrophotographic system when a charge roller (i.e., a charge member) is dirtied by toner or paper dust or the lie. Accordingly, a cleaner is conventionally employed to clean the charge roller. The cleaner may be made of foam material, such as foam polyurethane, foam polyester, etc., or a sheet like member, such as Felt, etc. The cleaner generally engages the charge roller. However, when the same cleaner is used for a long time, ability of cleaning deteriorates. Then, a system in which a charge roller is attached to an image forming apparatus body while a charge roller cleaner is attached to a process cartridge including a photoconductive member, so that the charge roller cleaner can be replaced every time the process cartridge is replaced as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H3-126961 (JP-H3-126961-A).
Further, in such a system of JP-H3-126961-A, when a photoconductive member unit is to be replaced, a developer container (i.e., a toner bottle) needs to be detached from an apparatus body beforehand. For this reason, a process cartridge and a toner cartridge are sometimes independently detachably attached to a body of the image forming apparatus from each other as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-222160 (JP-2001-222160-A). Specifically, a front cover closing a front surface is provided in a body of the image forming apparatus and is opened to enable drawing of the process cartridge and toner cartridge at a front side. However, the system of JP-2001-222160-A needs to open the front cover. Consequently, a prescribed space is needed around the apparatus body for opening and closing the front cover. Accordingly, a foot print of the apparatus body increases.
To solve such a problem, the apparatus can be moved from a narrow space into a large space readily enabling opening and closing operations for every replacement of the process cartridge and/or toner cartridge. However, such movement degrades usability. In image forming apparatuses employing an electrophotographic system, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, a multifunctional machine combining these devices, etc., a unit system including a developing unit and a photoconductor unit, such as a process cartridge, etc., is sometimes installed integrally therein. In such an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge needs to be periodically replaced when toner is completely consumed and a toner bottle becomes empty or a photoconductor unit or the like undergoes localized deterioration. Further, the image forming apparatus sometimes employs an LED as an exposure device. In this type of image forming apparatus, the process cartridge is replaced by opening an upper cover provided in an upper section of a main body of the image forming apparatus. The LED is disposed on a path along which the process cartridge would be removed from the image forming apparatus. For this reason, the LED conventionally needs to be displaced from its installed position at the same time or after the upper cover is opened, and the process cartridge is thereafter detached. Alternatively, there exists a system in which an LED serving as an exposure device is detached from a process cartridge by sliding it in its lengthwise direction as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-255805 (JP-2003-255805-A).